Good video Lowell. It's concerning seeing how dry it is there. Have Larry send a couple 8" rains your way soon.
Good video Lowell. It's concerning seeing how dry it is there. Have Larry send a couple 8" rains your way soon.
DesertFox4
Admin.
7 Super Sport912 ULS Tri-gear
Thanks for the wish Steve. Then again, the brains seem to be promising an El Nino winter and that means talk of flooding. But, during the drought, the Bureau has been raising the levees surrounding Folsom Lake for that exact reason. I just have to be satisfied that when the white stuff starts to fall along with the talk of Wheel Skis and Pre-Heaters, we will be in a not quite Arizona Winter temp wise.
Nice video, I don't recall the lake being that low ever, and I was raised in the Sacramento Valley. The video brings back a lot of fond memories though as I was fortunate enough to do a good deal of flying in N. California years ago.
Do you have your video camera mounted on the jury or main strut? Are you using go pro or another vendor?
Michael Meyers
KF IV
Las Vegas, NV
The camera is mounted to the lift strut at the jury strut. I knew I wanted a camera there so put on the hard points as well as a conduit for string wire and stuff before the fairings went on. The junk that appears on the fairings is actually reflection. The fairing is smooth and clean.
1 Hard Points.jpg
The camera is a Sony - can't recall the model. I finally went with Sony as the Canon image stabilization was very inadequate. It had to be either Canon or Sony as they are the only manufacturers using the LanC protocol. It is a system that allows a remote controller to be plugged into the camera so it can be remotely controlled. With the Sony, I can control power on and off, proportional zoom and video on and off. The Canon also allowed for switching between manual and auto focus and aperture which can be a real bonus at times.
20 Stick With VZ.jpg
The mount itself is a gimbal mount with tilt movement about 120° and pan about 180°. The zoom is limited by camera shake. Too much and big shaking going on. I am tempted to try one of the new Scimitar shaped props and see if it makes any difference.
Attachment 9844
What a beautiful piece of work, as everything you do is, Lowell!
John Evens
Arvada, CO
Kitfox SS7 N27JE
EAA Lifetime
Chap. 43 honorary Lifetime
That is a real nice setup. I don't think I have seen a finer rig in any other experimental aircraft. You are light years ahead of most. I am still shooting video with my iPhone from a Ram rig I have in my cockpit.
Do you have a monitor in your cockpit to view the video while you are shooting it?
Michael Meyers
KF IV
Las Vegas, NV
Michael,
Yes I have a monitor. I planned on panel space on the left side as that is the side the camera is on. I find it confusing to be taking video from the left if the monitor is on the right - the logical place panel space wise. The original "Canon" monitor was an smaller but had to go larger to accommodate the output of the Sony camera.
The monitor was one of the biggest challenges as Sony uses HDMI out whereas Canon uses AV. Big difference in cables. Also Sony for reasons beyond my understanding places the Micro HDMI output under the side screen. It was either remove the screen or modifying the cable. Three cables later, I was able to do that. I only had about 0.4" to work with under the side screen and the cable end stuck out about 1-1/8" inches. I cut across the plug with a super fine jewelers hack saw, bent it 90°, positioned it with epoxy and soldered in tiny wires to bridge the gap on the cut side. Nine in all, I bent on the long side and those 10 wires managed the bend ok. Every time I power up, I still hold my breath until I see the image appear on the monitor.
HDMI Plug Mod.jpg
With my first IV, the mount was a lot different. To control the camera, I removed the infrared LED from the remote and mounted it strategically in front of the camera near the camera LED sensor and ran wires from it to the remote that was mounted nearby. I then opened the remote and ran wires from the different switches in the remote to switches on the control stick. There are a series of pictures in my "My First Kitfox" album.
http://www.teamkitfox.com/Forums/album.php?albumid=220
Thanks for detailed explanation. The pics of your rig are very impressive.
Michael Meyers
KF IV
Las Vegas, NV
Thanks Michael, I forgot to post the picture of the monitor.
Another Video. This from my old collection.
7 or 8 years ago, a friend and neighbor attracted a video crew from CNBC because it became known that he had a unique daily commute in his Bonanza from his home here in Cameron Park to Silicon Valley. During their stay here, they asked if they could interview me. While at my home, they noticed the camera mount on my first Kitfox IV and asked if I had video footage of the neighbors flight path to work. I did not, but offered to see what I could do. With the help of another neighbor - the second pair of eyes, we set off on what proved to be a spectacular day considering the time of year. It was perfectly clear with very light winds and very smooth air The flight began here in Cameron Park then proceeded across the Central Valley, across The Sacramento River Delta then to San Pablo Bay. San Francisco Bay followed with our path taking us alongside the San Francisco Bay Bridge, Downtown San Francisco, Fisherman's Wharf and Crissy Field. Then alongside the Golden Gate Bridge to the Marin County shoreline then back toward San Francisco. We passed the remains of the burned out Cliff House, Ocean Beach with its Golden Gate Park separating the Richmond and Sunset residential districts. Then we flew south another fifteen miles or so.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSAQ...ature=youtu.be
The shake in the video was not as apparent in the original - sorry about that.